


Late Though Lingered the Snow

by Mara



Category: Kamen Rider Kuuga
Genre: Episode Tag, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 01:37:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6732619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara/pseuds/Mara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened after the defeat of #0?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Late Though Lingered the Snow

**Author's Note:**

> Contains spoilers for Kuuga 48 and 49.
> 
> This fic was mostly written at Couchcon 2016 in an attempt to exorcise a particularly irritating image in my mind. It seems to have worked, thank goodness, and I no longer rant when I hear the word "snow." Well, not any more than usual, at least.

Ichijou stumbled through the snow, his feet so cold he could barely feel them. The snow continued to fall, large flakes obscuring his vision as they landed on his lashes.

But none of that made him stop. Because Godai was somewhere on this mountain fighting #0 and he had to be okay, because no other option was acceptable. Ichijou resisted the urge to pull out his phone and check for a signal for the millionth time. That would waste time and battery life and he needed to conserve both.

The snow clumped on his pant legs and Ichijou tried not to feel the weight of his gun, the cold metal burning through his clothes to his skin. But he wasn't going to need it.

Shaking his head fiercely caused a brief blizzard around his head and he soldiered on. Breathing was getting more difficult but it was hard to say if that was the effort of climbing through the snow or the panic rushing his chest.

Damn the man and his matter-of-fact statement to shoot him. How could—Ichijou's vision blurred further for a moment as realized that the snow ahead of him was reddish brown. It was…that was blood. And two unmoving figures. "Godai!" he screamed. " _Godai!_ "

Although he wanted to go to Godai first, he made himself run to #0 first, gun in hand. He was reaching to feel for a pulse when he realized the angle of the figure's head meant his neck was clearly snapped. 

Dismissing the Gurongi, Ichijou stood, stumbling over to Godai, his breaths steaming in the air. Falling to his knees, he hesitated, not sure what he should even do. Reaching out, slowly, he touched Godai's cheek.

He almost screamed when Godai grabbed his wrist without opening his eyes. The two men were frozen in that position. "Godai," he finally choked out.

Godai's eyes opened and Ichijou searched for signs of recognition. How the hell was he supposed to know what to do now?

Godai loosened his grip on Ichijou's wrist and ever-so-slowly gave Ichijou a thumbs up. Then his head lolled to the side and his arm dropped to the snow.

Cursing, Ichijou checked pulse and breathing, determining the aggravating man was just unconscious and took a few breaths before evaluating the situation. There was no way he was in any condition to carry the man all the way down the mountain and even if he got him there, the wisdom of trying to carry him on the motorcycle…well, unless his phone decided to find a signal, they were going to be here a while.

Looking around, he found that (to his surprise) just this once things went his way and there was a…calling it a cave was a massive exaggeration, but an indentation, a sheltered spot where he could drag/carry Godai, hoping the amadam was still healing him and his actions wouldn't exacerbate Godai's injuries.

Brushing off the light layer of snow and propping Godai up against the rock, Ichijou stood still, eyes closed, shivering as he tested the wind. It was low enough in this spot that he might be able to get a small fire going. This high up, the wood would most likely have a layer of snow, but not be damp underneath.

He started back into the snow before remembering the emergency kit, which he'd hastily shoved in his pocket before hopping on the motorcycle to chase down his wayward friend. Surely it had…yes! He unfolded the silver blanket and draped it over the unconscious figure of Godai, taking longer than necessary to tuck the edges around him.

After a deep breath, he stood and ventured out to find some appropriate wood.

When he got back to Nagano, he was going to find and thank whatever genius had made an urban police force learn basic survival techniques despite the infinite griping that had ensued.

It took longer than he wanted to gather sticks and he could barely feel his gloved hands as he staggered back to Godai. There were only a few matches in the kit, so he would have to make them count. Arranging the wood meticulously, he took off his gloves, shielded a match, and carefully set a branch alight.

He couldn't help a proud grin when it worked on the first try.

"Good job," Godai said.

Ichijou whirled, almost falling into the small fire. "Godai!" He didn't know if he wanted to laugh, cry, or add one more punch to the damage inflicted by #0. "You…"

"I didn't do it." Godai was looking past him into the falling snow.

"It's what we've been trying to tell you. You didn't become a monster."

"Not this time."

The pain in his chest was back, spreading to his head until his vision went hazy. The man was hopeless.

When his vision cleared, Ichijou was kissing Godai. Hard. Pressing him against the stone behind him. Pulling back, Ichijou stared in horror. "I…I'm sorr—"

"Don't."

"But—"

"Stop!" Godai shouted.

Ichijou neither moved nor blinked.

Godai shifted under the blanket, wincing. "Come here."

"What?"

The edge of the blanket lifted slightly.

Moving with caution, Ichijou inched his way over until he was under the blanket as well. Godai leaned against him, head on his shoulder, drifting off to a more natural sleep.

Ichijou shivered for a long while, but gradually the fire's warmth combined with the trusting man beside him lulled him into a doze. He woke a few times to cautiously feed more sticks into the fire while trying to not awaken Godai, but eventually the other man stirred.

Taking the opportunity to get a good look at him, Ichijou quietly sighed to see the bruising already going down and lacerations healing. "Are you ready to walk?"

Tilting his head, Godai looked at him and Ichijou felt himself flush. "No," Godai said.

"Oh."

Slowly, Godai shifted onto his side.

"Wait! Don't…" Ichijou turned himself to try and hold Godai still. "Don't hurt yourself more."

"I'm not." Godai smiled, but it was wrong in some way Ichijou couldn't articulate.

Ichijou choked as he felt a light touch against his pants. And then there were fingers. Ichijou tried to move away, but the cold draft down his back reminded him that was a bad idea. "What are you—"

"No more talking," Godai murmured. "I need this. I need to feel human."

Ichijou swallowed. This was such a terrible idea, he couldn't begin to articulate all the ways. But Godai was there, fading cuts and bruises and _alive_ and pleading and so beautiful. It would take a far better man to refuse him. Despite the cold and the uncomfortable position, Ichijou felt the need growing.

Godai tilted his head and they kissed. It was gentle, as Ichijou was hyperaware of the swollen bloody areas on Godai's face. But Godai's breath was warm against him and Ichijou gradually forgot about everything else.

Until the hand that had been lightly teasing him fumbled at his pants button and Ichijou temporarily forgot how to breathe. They were going to do this. Why had they never done it before?

(Ichijou could admit, he supposed, that it was his fault. Subconsciously, he had likely known that Godai would have come to his bed any time, but there had been reasons. Of some kind, he was sure.)

It took three failed unbuttoning attempts before Ichijou realized he could help. In his defense, the feeling of kissing Godai, of tongues and teeth, was so overwhelming. Ichijou shifted the hand that had somehow grabbed Godai's jacket until he could worm it down between them. It took more shuffling (and he was grateful he'd removed his gloves earlier) but he twisted until he could reach his own and Godai's pants, undoing them both.

The first touch to Godai's bare skin was amazing, dwarfed by the electrical sensation of Godai touching him. His underwear was bunched and the ground was frozen, but none of that mattered as Godai's extremely talented fingers gently stroked under his balls, sliding up his dick to skate around the head.

Lightheaded, Ichijou tried to focus on the sensations of touching Godai in return: wiry hair and the softest skin, little panting sounds against his face and neck.

Godai's hand was far softer than he expected, gradually surrounding him and beginning to stroke, the pace slow and maddening. Ichijou thought he might have whined, but it could almost certainly be excused under the circumstances.

"Please," Godai whispered.

"Yes." Ichijou nudged Godai's head so they could kiss again. It was sloppy and perfect.

"Mmm." Godai was panting harder, his hips trying to rock. 

Squirming, Ichijou brought a hand to rest on his hip. "Let me." His arm ached but he focused on picking up the pace. There wasn't quite enough lubrication, but Godai didn't seem to care, groaning in a tone that reverberated through Ichijou's body.

They came almost together and Ichijou knew he moaned embarrassingly and he didn't care. It was everything he might have sometimes thought about late at night and so much more.

They lay for a time catching their breath, Ichijou resisting the urge to check Godai over to make sure he hadn't injured himself further. Finally he gathered the energy to search in his pockets for the packet of tissues he knew was there.

Cleanup was spotty, but considering their overall condition, Ichijou doubted it really mattered. Shoving the filthy tissues into a different pocket with a small shudder, he leaned over to kiss Godai again. 

After a time, he felt Godai shift and a draft as he slid out from under the blanket.

"You're leaving," Ichijou said, unsure why he knew that.

Godai nodded, not meeting his eyes.

"This…"

"I'll be back."

Ichijou breathed in the cold crisp air. "When?"

"I don't know. When I'm healed."

He wanted to yell. He wanted to shake Godai and insist that he could heal here, with him, with all his friends and family. Instead Ichijou calmly said, "I'll be waiting for you."

For the first time in what seemed like a long time, a familiar smile crept onto Godai's face. "I know. I'm counting on it." He stood, stretching, then walked away.

Ichijou sat and watched as Godai paused just before he moved into the thick of the trees, turning back long enough to give him a quick thumbs-up and then disappearing down the mountain.

\--end--

**Author's Note:**

> Some might argue that canon makes it pretty clear they've been having sex for about 20 episodes prior to this. I would even agree. However, sometimes the characters are just gonna do what they want, y'know?


End file.
